USgHIFUa: a listed Operation at public hospitals

News provided by

Cornwall Medical

13 Nov, 2023, 09:00 CST

and available at Cornwall Medical in the private sector

HONG KONG, Nov. 13, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- "High intensity focused ultrasound ablation of lesion of uterus using ultrasound guidance" has been included as an "Operation" categorized under "INTERMEDIATE II" on the "List of Private Services"[i] published by the Hospital Authority ("HA") that manages all public hospitals in Hong Kong.

With a debut international installation at the Churchill Hospital of the Oxford University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust in 2002[ii], followed by CE mark for entering the EU, the first Ultrasound-guided High Intensity Focused Ultrasound ablation ("USgHIFUa") by Haifu® landed Hong Kong in 2006[iii]: The Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology of The University of Hong Kong commenced research of USgHIFUa from 2012[iv], and has since 2016 introduced High Intensity Focused Ultrasound for the management of uterine fibroids at Queen Mary Hospital[v], a public hospital under HA's management.

In the private sector, the same USgHIFUa for uterine fibroids and/or adenomyosis is available as a day surgery at Cornwall Non-Invasive Surgery Centre - Tsim Sha Tsui, a licensed Day Procedure Centre[vi] located at Rm 503-505, 5/F, H Zentre, 15 Middle Road, TST, Kowloon.

"High intensity focused ultrasound: thyroid, uterus, prostate" is listed in the "Nomenclatures of procedures and operations promulgated by Colleges of the Hong Kong Academy of Medicine"[vii]. The Hong Kong College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists started covering "High intensity / focused ultrasound therapy" in its 5-yearly OG Audit from the 2014 edition[viii].

About Cornwall Medical Group:

Cornwall Non-Invasive Surgery Centre - Tsim Sha Tsui is a Private Healthcare Facility registered by the Department of Health with a Day Procedure Centre Licence (PHF No.: DP000274).

[i]       LIST OF PRIVATE SERVICES, Hospital Authority, Hong Kong. Available at 
https://www3.ha.org.hk/fnc/Operations.aspx?lang=ENG&searchkeyword=high%20intensity. Last accessed on 1 Nov 2023.

[ii]       Ishika Prachee, Feng Wu & David Cranston (2021), Oxford's clinical experience in the development of high intensity focused ultrasound therapy, International Journal of Hyperthermia, 38:2, 81-88, DOI: 10.1080/02656736.2021.1899311. Last accessed on 1 Nov 2023.

[iii]      港大獲贈超聲治療機 治癌免開刀, 香港文匯報, 2006-11-21. Available at http://paper.wenweipo.com/2006/11/21/HK0611210049.htm. Last accessed on 1 Nov 2023. 

[iv]      Cheung VYT, Ng VWY, The Development of High-Intensity Focused Ultrasound for Fibroids and Adenomyosis in Hong Kong, Hong Kong Medical Diary - Obstetrics & Gynaecology, Federation of Medical Societies of Hong Kong, Vol.27 No.8 Aug 2022, Pg 17-20. Available at https://fmshk.com.hk/database/hkmd/mdaug2022.pdf. Last accessed on 1 Nov 2023.

[v]       Obstetrics and Gynaecology, under "General Gynaecology", Queen Mary Hospital, Hong Kong. Available at https://www8.ha.org.hk/QMH/services/clinical_department/department/o_g/o_g.aspx. Last accessed on 1 Nov 2023.

[vi]      Private Healthcare Facilities Register, Office for Regulation of Private Healthcare Facilities, Department of Health, Hong Kong. Available at
https://www.directory.orphf.gov.hk/Directory/en/ViewDetail/ViewDetail/RFAwMDAyNzQ=/g. Last accessed on 1 Nov 2023.

[vii]     Nomenclatures of Procedures and Operations Promulgated by Colleges of the Hong Kong Academy of Medicine, Guidelines and Information for Medical Practitioners, The Medical Council of Hong Kong, Pg 22: RA 1489.
Available at https://www.mchk.org.hk/english/guideline/files/Nomenclatures_by_Colleges_of_the_HKAM.pdf. Last accessed on 1 Nov 2023.

[viii]     Report of the Territory-wide Audit in Obstetrics & Gynaecology (2014), Hong Kong College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists, Pg 286: K 11. Available at https://www.hkcog.org.hk/hkcog/Download/Territory-wide_Audit_in_Obstetrics_Gynaecology_2014.pdf. Last accessed on 1 Nov 2023.

SOURCE Cornwall Medical